(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low cost camera, and more particularly to a recyclable camera and film combination for a camera recycling system.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, conventional "single-use" or "disposable" cameras are well known for their convenience. When consumers forget to bring a camera on sudden trips, for example, single use cameras provide consumers with the flexibility convenience of taking pictures at relatively inexpensive costs.
Because single-use cameras include film inside the camera body, there is no need to buy a film for taking a picture. Conventional single-use cameras consist of a camera body and film, but single-use cameras with built-in flash are also available, thereby making it possible to photograph a subject with a single-use camera day or night.
The single-use camera has several advantages. One advantage is that, considering that the purchase includes both camera and film, single-use cameras make photography possible at relatively low cost. A second advantage of the single-use camera is the camera's ideal easy-loading system which does not require fresh film to be loaded nor is it necessary to remove the exposed film from the camera. A third advantage is the ability to recycle the camera after being used which keeps the cost of the camera down while maintaining quality.
Regardless of all these advantages, however, consumers must still pay for the film as well as the camera, every time they desire to use a conventional single-use camera. This has long been regarded as a disadvantage. Moreover, if a user urgently needs to have the single-use film developed with some unexposed frames left, the user has to abandon not only the remaining unexposed frames of film, but also the camera itself.
In the field of a low cost cameras, there have been other proposals, offering, for example, attachments including a supplementary lens attached in front of an objective lens for changing the focus of the objective lens. Also, recent photographic systems have been developed in which film cartridges, with concealed film leader portions, can be easily loaded by dropping them into a camera, like a battery.